The United Nations warned on Tuesday that up to a quarter of a million Palestinians in the city of Khan Younis may be forced to flee their temporary shelters following new evacuation orders from Israel’s army. This situation indicates that further battles are looming in the Gaza Strip’s second-largest city after Israel pulled back its forces in April from a devastating assault.
The Israel Defense Forces are urging civilians to evacuate eastern neighborhoods due to potential threats posed by regrouping Hamas militants. Gazan civilians have been struggling in worsening living conditions, with many crammed into small areas, pitching tents in rubble or along the seashore. This situation has been exacerbated by the destruction of Rafah earlier in the conflict, forcing more people to flee to Khan Younis.
Despite ongoing military operations, militants continue to launch rockets into Israel, prompting further evacuations and displacements. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency estimates that a quarter-million people may be affected by the latest evacuation orders in Khan Younis. The dire conditions in Gaza, worsened by extreme weather and lack of resources, make evacuations even more challenging.
As the crisis continues, the International Committee of the Red Cross is working to provide aid to the affected areas, including moving patients and staff to other facilities. Efforts are also being made to increase water availability by supplying electricity to a water desalination plant in Khan Younis. The situation remains tense and demands urgent humanitarian assistance to prevent further suffering among Gaza’s civilian population.
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